CHUCK BERRY HONORED AGAIN

The legend of Chuck Berry will live on forever in University City, near Blueberry Hill, the famous rock 'n roll shrine here in our town. On July 29th, in 100 or so degree heat, an 8 foot bronze statue of Chuck was unveiled with Chuck there to welcome the crowds and humbly thank everyone for the honor. That night he threw out the first ball at the Cardinals game. St. Louis has loads of great statues, now there is another which is certainly an honor to our generation and the music we love. When you out-of-towners are here, be sure to drop by there to see the St. Louis Walk of Fame, you'll recognize loads of the names, and now you can check out the latest honor for another of our own. Check out the statue and story here

As an aside, you'll note the photo credit under the picture of the statue is to Katherine Bish. When we first lived in Hampton Park, on Clayton Road, the doorbell rang one day and I answered to find a darling young gal with a camera in hand. She was a recent college grad, her husband had taken a job here in town, they were from Illinois I believe, and she was trying to build a portfolio to get into the photog biz. Having a number of photographers in my family, I was inclined to let her in to photo our house. She had been driving around looking for things to photograph and just wanted to take pix of a big house, which she did. We have corresponded since, and I have watched her then-fledgling career with interest. I see her layouts frequently in the local magazines and newspapers. Obviously she was a go-getter, which is what impressed me when she rang the bell making that 'cold call' so bravely.

PAUL RUSSELL CANAVAN 9-23-49 - 7-14-2011

(l to r Dave Beardsley, Eileen Beardsley, standing Bob O'Neill, me and Paul)

I'm pretty sure that this picture taken at Bob O'Neill's 65th birthday party in February, 2011 is the last photo of me and Paul together, and I also believe the last picture of Paul.
Paul was born at Josephine Heitkamp Memorial Hospital, on South Grand and lived all his life before college in South St. Louis City, in a big old home on Lafayette Avenue. He was a 1968 graduate of Southwest High School and attended Wade Elementary School. It always amazes me the times one of us would connect up with someone in his class or a close one and would remember him from wrestling or something; just like we KHS65s find one another in situations we don't expect. After a couple of other scholastic adventures (NW MO State @ Maryville for one), Paul graduated with a BS in Biz Admin from the University of Houston, and did his stint in the Army and National Guard. Paul is survived by a son who adored him, Michael, a professional free-lance photographer living in downtown Chicago with his fiancee, Colleen, a darling girl of Irish heritage...imagine that! Paul's mother Jerry lives in a nursing home in Jefferson County and has now outlived both of her children, not what God normally has in mind for us. She is a real trooper, a stoic German lady who is also a Sappington. Paul was VERY excited to learn only a few years ago that he was a Sappington, a direct descendant of John & Jemima Sappington who came to MO from KY with Dan'l Boone and settled most of south St. Louis County. I plan to spread his ashes on John & Jemima's graves in the Sappington Cemetery in Crestwood on his birthday in September. I think he would like that more than any other idea we ever discussed. Paul had not been in good health of late, and there are a number of sudden fatal heart-attack deaths in the males in his family tree, and an uncle who died very young also. He had bought groceries, in this awful heat, come home, put them all away just as I liked, and sat down, probably to rest, and had the attack in our breakfast room. He was gone only part of an hour before I got home from an errand, and the paramedics told me that I probably couldn't have saved him even if I'd been here at home. Paul and I met as employees at Barnes Hospital in 1967 and were friends, then we and our spouses were a four-some as good pals, and our children were friends, then we were friends again, then we became lovers and partners. We were married in December, 1996 in Edinburgh, Scotland after having been "engaged" for 7 years or so - our accountant said we had to get married! We then didn't actually live together full-time until we bought a home together in 1998. It was odd the first time I brushed my teeth in the same bathroom with him after all those years!

The paramedic squad which answered my 911 call is with Metro West here in West County and some knew Gary Stobbe when he was a Manchester city fireman before the communities here in west county joined together as Metro West. Gary lived in the house right behind mine when Lou & I were divorced and I moved to Manchester with my children. AND the policewoman who came, and was SO nice to us, was the daughter in law of a jeweler here in West County who went to high school with my ex, and from whom I bought our wedding rings when Paul & I got married. It was like old home week here as the paramedics and then the attendants from Bopp took care of Paul. The representative from Bopp walked in the front door and said, "Aren't you part of the Cavic/Lombardi family?" My son smiled when everyone was gone and said, "Mom, Rachel and I cannot believe it, but you REALLY DO know everyone in St. Louis". We were able to have a smile together at a sad moment.

Should anyone wish to make a memorial donation in Paul's name, I am associated with a wonderful place for children from dysfunctional homes in New England. Donations might be sent to Ms. Gail Thomas, Treasurer General, NSNEW, 379 Chester Road, Candia, NH 03034-2609; please be sure to specify that the donation is in memory of Paul and is to go to Kurn Hattin Homes. Should you wish to learn about this wonderful place for children, which I have supported for many years, please go to www.kurnhattin.org, you'll fall in love.

Thank you to everyone who has called, sent cards, emailed and sent me greetings on Facebook; your friendship is always important to me, but at this time has been especially meaningful to me. May we all have our friends and families when we need them the most as I have had you all.

I just wanted to let you all know that Leslie's husband, Paul, passed away suddenly today. I will post more information as soon as I get it.

NIPHER GETTING A FACELIFT

Interestingly there has been money left over (an oxymoron in my life) from last fall's bond issue which will allow improvements at Nipher to include new track & field space and improvements in roadways around the school. Check out the details here. If you haven't been home in awhile you'd hardly recognize the front as a large addition was set in front of the North and South buildings. The campus is lovely, and oh so many memories flood my brain when I drive by. Do you remember your locker combination? Mine was in the North Building, 29 6 14, rlr. Pat Vallar was my locker partner...wonder if she remembers the combination! 12/26/1 - just reviewing my blog and realize this statement is an error, I don't think we had locker partners at Nipher, the locker next to mine was occupied by Susan Trail, I think perhaps Pat Vallar and I shared our KHS locker. And no, I do not know that combination! I shared a locker in a more convenient spot (among the boys of KHS64) with my beau thru some of KHS, Jim Jackson, so I didn't really burn the combination to my own into my brain like at Nipher!

W W II VETERAN & KHS65 FATHER REMINISCES

Sharon and Karen Lowe are becoming an unusual pair of KHS65 classmates, lucky enough to still have both of their parents alive and healthy. In our youth, surrounded by all of us GIRLS, Col. Lowe took a bit of a shine to my brother, if I may use that term, because he was a BOY and was around the neighborhood. In more recent times, Kert (KHS69) and I returned to visit our childhood home in Sugar Creek Ranch, just around the curve from the Lowes & visited the senior Lowes. Kert earned his Masters Degree in Military History in his adult years and is very interested in World War II history. He uses his talent as film editor and videographer for fun outside of his normal working days and was privileged to be able to interview Col. Lowe regarding his wartime adventures. In today's world of technology, with Col. Lowe's permission, I am pleased to share some of Kert's interviews. I hope many of you will check them out, the history is wonderful. As Kert says, "It's fascinating to realize everyone has a unique view of the past." It's fun for us to compare our varying memories of our childhood! Thanks Kert for making these available on-line and to Col. and Mrs. Lowe for being such great parents! In my own memoirs will be memories of the afternoons playing dress-up in their basement ~ I loved playing Princess Summerfallwinterspring! If you will go here you will first see Kert's interview with Col. Lowe about his near death experience the night Glenn Miller died. This story has been misconstrued for years, but here you will learn what really happened. Once you watch this about 12 minute video, click on the others in the strip to the right and you'll hear much more of Kert and Farrell's conversation, it's all fascinating. There is a total of 10 segments, all identifiable by the photo of Col. Lowe (one is called 'A close call in London' and has a b & w photo, but it's part of the interview); you might have to scroll past some other posts (which are also interesting) to find all 10 of them. I loved the story of his meeting Major Eisenhower! It's amazing to see a Veteran with the clarity of mind and ability to recollect so vividly his wartime experiences. AFTER you read Col. Lowe's story, you might go to the Wikipedia entry about Glenn Miller which is very informative about his career, and has a section on his disappearance. ENJOY! PS, I hope you will go to OLDER POSTS and review other Veterans' stories and information as we celebrate our nation's birthday, something we wouldn't be doing without ALL our veterans from ALL wars!